Music artists these days price their tickets like we have the same balance as them in our bank account. They are sorely mistaken.
As a college student I barely have enough money for fresh groceries, let alone a ticket in the pit.
If venues and artists don’t come back down from their money-hungry high soon, they’ll destroy the music industry’s relationship with the college-aged crowd.
According to an April 20 article from the Wall Street Journal, the average price for a concert ticket this year is $252. I haven’t seen a single ticket below $300 in my search for potential shows to attend.
The base price of tickets are often out of an average college student’s budget range. Dynamic pricing has made this already luxury-priced experience even more unattainable for me.
According to Harvard Business Review, dynamic pricing is a financial strategy used by various companies, such as Ticketmaster, that adjusts the price of tickets based on demand.
Hotels and airlines use this pricing strategy to account for seasonal demand. Apparently seeing my favorite artist is now more complicated than planning a week-long vacation.
I miss the days of being able to buy concert tickets on a whim. Now I have to plan a year's worth of financials to make sure I can still afford instant ramen after my bank account takes such a hit.
The music industry seems to get off by charging the equivalent of a year’s worth of tuition for a single night-long experience. Taylor Swift’s Eras tour conveys the epitome of this issue.
Swift’s tickets reached up to $14,000 on resale sites for a July concert in Kansas City according to Prestige Magazine.
No sane person can justify spending that much for a three-hour long fever dream of an artist prancing around on stage and half-singing their album that we’ve already heard on streaming platforms.
I respect Swifties. Fear may be the better word actually. Nonetheless, I think all Taylor Swift fans should have a chance to see her in concert without declaring bankruptcy.
I understand that artists do not have control over the added fees and resale prices of their concert tickets, but they aren’t innocent in this crime either.
I haven’t seen many artists publicly criticize the price of these tickets. I don’t know if fans selling plasma just to go to a silly little concert strokes these artists’ egos, but it needs to stop.
Concert expenses don’t end with purchasing the ticket though. Transportation adds to the dreaded bill too.
Event parking will eat into your merch budget just as quickly as the ticket price will. On-site parking at the SAP Center costs $25-35 depending on the event according to its website.
As a Californian, I’m no stranger to sketchy overpriced parking garages, but it definitely puts a damper on the night.
Having to decide on parking within a 10 mile radius of the venue for the sake of my feet and buying commemorative merch isn’t a decision I should have to make.
Want to avoid the parking fees by ordering a ride? Too bad! Prepare to spend the same amount, if not more to get dropped off at the venue.
Uber and Lyft rides will help you avoid speeding around a parking lot for hours in search of a spot, but offer their own lists of hurdles.
Surge charges, pricing, wait times and tipping are all obstacles that these apps present to consumers.
Either way, transportation to and from venues will leave cobwebs in your wallet.
It’s becoming more apparent that my dream to see Hozier in concert is more of a fantastical ideation than a possible reality.
Now that my credit card debt has risen exponentially by just thinking about purchasing tickets and prepaying for a poorly lit parking spot next to a dumpster, it’s time to plan my outfit.
The social media frenzy surrounding current tours is pushing concert goers to create extravagant looks to stand out.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour have been at the forefront of my Instagram and TikTok feed.
I’ve followed along as fans spend weeks creating their perfect outfit through accumulating various pieces or burning their fingers gluing on sequins. The dedication and creativity of these fans is astonishing, but pricey.
According to an Aug. 17 article from the American Songwriter, some Eras Tour attendees spent nearly $300 on new clothing to wear at the performance.
I’m no stranger to overspending on cute outfits but tossing $300 at an outfit that I would likely never wear again is out of my tax bracket.
I understand the desire to have a stunning outfit for the perfect Instagram post to commemorate seeing your favorite artist. What I don’t understand is the logic behind spending so much money on clothes when the tickets are already overpriced.
Even if I find the perfect outfit for a reasonable price, the artist might demand an aesthetic that prompts me to scrap it completely.
Beyoncé recently announced that she wants her fans to wear silver in honor of her birthday and Virgo season in an Instagram story post according to an Aug. 23 article from Vanity Fair.
I love themes but I don’t love when they’re imposed by millionaires expecting their fans to toss more money into their experiences.
Every aspect of concerts is unreasonably expensive.
My meager college student budget can’t support my caffeine addiction and purchasing multiple outfits for a concert I'll probably be too drunk to fully remember.
I refuse to give up my daily iced coffee, so I’m forced to rummage through my closet.
The only silver item I have is a homecoming dress from my freshman year of high school. It looks like I’ll be disappointing Queen Bey.
Concerts are a cornerstone experience for many college students. It used to be a space of freedom, respect, and fun.
Now I feel like concerts are a mixture of a Shein runway and miles-long merch lines.
Concerts have lost their magic for me.
I was lucky enough to see artists like Selena Gomez, Bon Jovi, and Melanie Martinez throughout my childhood, but now I feel as though I’ll never step foot in a concert venue again.
These outrageous prices and expectations placed upon fans are alienating college students who do not have the privilege of financial surplus.
Venues and artists seem to be forgetting that the fan base is what finances their lifestyles and paychecks.
Creating an idealistic experience that is only attainable by maxing out credit cards or redirecting your college fund is disgusting.
No fan should feel left out or shamed for not being rich.
I’m waiting for the day that ticket prices are below four figures again. Until then, the only concerts I'll be attending are my jam sessions in the shower.
